Improvement in saw-mills



'UNTTED STATES PATENT Ormea.

JOSHUA HENDY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SAW-NHLLS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent N0. 53,977, dated April 17,1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, J osHUA HENDY, of San Francisco, in the coun ty ofSan Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Saw-Mills; and I hereby declare the following tobe full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a frontelevation of a saw-mill constructed in accordance with my invention 5Fig. 1, a side elevation of the same, part of the wood-work ormill-frame being removed in order to exhibit more clearly thearrangement of the parts. Figs. 3 and 4 represent detached parts of saidmill, Fig. 3 being an elevation ofthe movable saw-frameto which the gangof circular saws is attached 5 and Fig. 4 a transverse vertical sectionof the same. Fi gs. 5, 6, and 7 show, in details, certain portions ofthe belt-tightening apparatus used with the mill, Fig. 6 being a sectionon the line x x, Fig. 5. Figs. S and 9 show the details of theconstruction of the ball-and-socket hanging box, which holds the arborof the upper saw S', Fig. 1. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 represent, in detail,the saw-guide G, Fig. 1, used to direct the lower saw, S. Figs. 13 and14 show the construction of the loose pulley I2 on the feed-shaftX.Figs. 15and16are,respectively, a transverse section and side elevationof the head block. Figs. 17, 1S, 19, and 20 represent the truck usedwith the feed-carriage, as seen at a, Fig. 1.

The object of my invention is to construct a saw-mill so organized andarranged thatl lumber of any required dimensions may be sawed accuratelyand without difficulty. In sawing dimensioned timber-as, for instance,

scantling from plankit cannot be sawed true D is a frame on top ofthestationary frame A, which supports the belt-tightening apparatus F.

B, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, is a movable frame carrying the gang ofcircular saws z z, which work at right angles to the circular saws S S.rlhe circular saws z z are held at required distances from each other bymeans of the collars c c, and revolve on the shaft X, which has itsbearings in the frame B, and to which motion is communicated by means ofthe pulleyP.

The frame B is moved by means of a rack and pinion, as shown in Fig. 2,and wheels or trucks are mortised in the bottom of the frame tofacilitate its movement toward or away from the feed-carriage c.

Wis a shield to prevent sawdust from clogging the machinery. It issecured to the frame B, in rear of the gang of circular saws,by anysuitable means.

The saw-guides g got" the saws z z are attached to a rod by set-screws,as seen in Fig. l, and this rod has journals turned upon its endsworking in journal-boxes a attached to the shield IV. The set-screw u,in the upper journal-box, holds therod firmly in any desired position.Each of the saw-guides g g consists of a strip of metal of suitabledimensions, one end of which is fitted on the rod, as just explained.The other en'd is slotted or formed with jaws, on whose inner surfacesare placed pins, which serve to keep the saw more accurately in therequired direction, the guides having first been properly adjusted bymeans of the set-screws which hold them to the rod.

When the gang-saws z z are to be changed upon the shaft Xthe set-screw uis unscrewed, allowing the guides g g to be turned out of the way. Tochange the gang-saws the hanging box y must first be removed, thusgiving room between the end of the shaft X and frame B for removing orreplacing the saws.

In connection with the lower vertical saw, S, I use a saw-guide, G, ofpeculiar construction, the details of which are shown in Figs. l0, 11,12. Itis secured, by means of bolts on the bed-plate I, to thestationary frame A. The bed-plate I is provided with a rib, 2, and slot3. On this bed-plate is placed the metallic block 4, which has a groovelon its under side corresponding with rib 2, and is attached tobed-plate 1 by bolts t' t' working in slot 3.

6 is a slide working in a dovetail groove in block 4, and to which issecured one of the jaws, 9, ofthe guide. Thisjaw has a dovetail slot inthe end, which is secured to the slide in which the shortjaw 8 isfitted, as shown in the drawings. The screw or bolt m, which worksin thesame slot, is the means by which the jaw S is adjusted and held inplace.

The slide 6 is secured to a spring, 10, made of india-rubber or otherelastic substance, by means of which, in combination with the lever 1l,the guide is held iirmly in any desired position. rIhe lever 11 ispivoted to the block 4, as seen in Figs. 10 and 12, by its inner end,which works against a pin on the under side ot' slide G, as shown inFig. 10. 12 is a rod, connected with lever 11, having a screw andhand-wheel, 13, at its outer end. This sawguide, by loosening` the boltsz' z', may be adjusted to any saw, and it is operated by means ofturning the hand-wheel13 to the right, acting upon the lever 11 to forceboth jaws out, as just explained, or to the left, when the guide isdrawn back by the rubber spring 10. The guide thus constructed andarranged is much superior to those heretofore in use, as it is moreeasily adjusted and operated without danger to the operator.

The arbor ot' the upper saw, S', works in a ball-and-socket adjustablehanging box, H, more particularly shown in Figs. 8 and 9, in which H isthe hanger, in the lower part of which is the socket for the journal-boxh, Fig. 9, working as a universal joint.

L is a plate, attached to the mill-frame A, to which is affixed thehanger H by bolts K K. The plate L has a groove or slot, either straightor curved, to allow a lateral movement of' the hanging box.

it' c' are set-screws by which the hanger H is adjusted.

F is the frame for belt-tightener, the new and improved feature of whichis the use of 'the journal-box of the pulley P for its bearing, saidjournal-box having a peculiar construction, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and7. In these figures, e represents the shaft of pulley P,working in journal-boxes m, attached to frame F, which boxes have journals turned upontheir outer ends working in turn in boxes upon thestationary frame D.This tighteningframe is easily operated, as, having its bearings in theboxes of the stationary pulley I?, the only power required is for thepurpose of taking up the slack; whereas the tighteningframe as now used,being hinged at its end, requires power sufficient to raise both thetight and slack parts of the belt. I use with this saw-mill the frictionfeeding apparatus, consisting ofthe double friction-couplin g, backing,and brake, for which Letters Patent were granted me on the 11th ofOctober, 1859.

The present improvements made by me in this apparatus consist inthepeculiarconstruction of the loose pulley on the feed-shaft, in theconstruction of the feed-blocks, and in making the truck of thefeed-carriage self-lubricating.

P2 is the loose pulley on the feed-shaft X. (Shown more particularly inFigs. 13, 14.) The peculiarity of its construction consists in having achamber, r, cast on theinner side of the hub for the purpose of holdingthe tallow or oil. t is a plug for feeding the same, and the hub is alsofitted with grooves for Babbits metal. rlhe pulley is thus madeself-lubricating, which is a great desideratum, especially when it isconsidered how difficult it is to get at at all times, whether the millis in motion or not.

Figs. 15 and 16 show the formation of the head-blocks for thefeed-carriage, which are made ot' a combination of wood with plates ofmetal. (Shown more particularly in Fig. 15.) The head-block thus made isstronger than when made of wood alone, and is even stronger than if ofcast-iron, being much less liable to break.

Figs. 17, 18, 19, 20, show the carriage-truck, which is so constructedas to be made selflubricating, the cheeks a being provided with avertical groove on the inside, allowing the passage of oil to thebearings. The oil which escapes from the bearings is carried round bythe hub of the truck until it again reaches the groove and falls againupon the bearings, and the truck thus becomes self-lubricating.

V is a metal slide on top of the carriage at the point where the oil isfed to the truck, for keeping the lubricating-channel free andpreventing the sawdust and dirt from clogging. The truck bein g mortisedinto the feed-carriage can be made to run close to the track, and,having a ilan ge on its lower part for a bearing, does not weaken thetimber in consequence of the mortise.

lVllat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In saw-mills constructed substantially as described, the sliding ormovable frame for supporting a gang of circular-saws working at angleswith vertical, circular, or other saws, which said frame is arranged andoperated as hereinbefore shown and set forth.

2. In mills for sawing lumber or other material, the saw-guide, incombination with the means for adjusting the same, both radially andtransversely in relation to the saw, as herein shown and described.

3. In the saw-guide constructed as above described, the jaws foradjusting the saw-blade in combination with a slide adjustable by springand lever in a supporting-block, which in its turn is adjustable uponthe mill-frame, as shown and set forth.

4. In saw-mills constructed substantially as herein described, thesaw-guides for a gang of circular saws, as set forth, said guides beingsecured to a plate or shield, and adjustable thereto in the manner andby the means herein set forth.

5. In machines, as herein described, the arrangement ofthetightening-frame, of themechanism to transmit movement from the primemover, the frame having its bearings on the journal-boxesofthestationarypulleybymeans lubricating and kept from being clogged up i of whichboxes'it is pivoted to the stationary by dust or dirt, substantially asshown and set frame of the saw-mill, substantially as and for forth. thepurposes seb forth.

6. The construction and armi] gement herein Witnesses described of thetrucks of the feed-carriage CEAS. R. BOND, for a saw-mill7 whereby thetruck is made self- W. WV. LAWHY.

JOSHUA HENDY.

